The campaign is part of Asean’s 50th anniversary, which will be offering tourists the 50 best festivals and the 50 most memorable travel experiences within Asean countries, including a wide range of destinations, culinary highlights and events.

ITB Berlin kicked off yesterday in the German capital and runs until Sunday.

Christian Goeke, chief executive of trade-fair organiser Messe Berlin, said around 10,000 travel exhibitors and organisations from 187 countries and territories had gathered for the event to obtain an overview of the tourism industry’s wide range of products as well as to seek new business opportunities.

At the fair, Myanmar Tourism Marketing in collaboration with the United Nations’ International Trade Centre is publicising the country’s Kayah State.

Myanmar wants to develop suitable cultural and sustainable tourism products |in Kayah and help the indigenous population prepare for the im-minent arrival of visitors from abroad.

The aim is to establish Kayah as a new and long-term destination in accordance with the new sustainable-tourism policy that has been adopted by Myanmar.

The Kayah region, in the east of the country bordering Thailand’s Mae Hong Son province, has been relativel isolated from the rest of the world for more than half a century and visitors have only recently been allowed access, which is now possible both by land and by air.

Unexplored area

This is one of the last unexplored areas in Southeast Asia, offering prospects for an inspiring and authentic travel experience.

With its unspoiled nature, ethnic diversity and a good strategic location, Kayah and its small mountain villages offer a very promising potential for tourism, and an opportunity to gain some insights into traditional ways of life.

Meanwhile, Thai Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrngkul said Thailand would promote sport tourism and “Asean Connect” in order to lure high-spending tourists, particularly from Europe.

At the same event, Kyrgyzstan is promoting new travel routes to draw in foreign tourists.

Travel agency NoviNomad said the new routes targeted nature lovers who those who wanted to experience everyday life in Kyrgyzstan. The routes will take travellers across the impressive Kyrgyz landscape on foot, by horse and by car.

Meanwhile, exhibitors from African countries such as Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Burundi and Sierra Leone at ITB are promoting themselves as safe destinations after the Ebola crisis.

According to Goeke, another growth area is the LGBT Pavilion, where the focus is on the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association. India and Moments, an operator from Mauritius, Quiiky Gay Tours from Italy and mCruise, a gay cruise organiser, will all be taking part in the event for the first time.